‘Superflik’ Steven De Smet gives seven recommendations for tackling hooliganism in football: “Do they really want to do something about it? Even if someone dies, I’m not sure.”

May 29, 1985 is etched in Steven De Smet’s memory. The former police commissioner of the Ghent police experienced the Heysel drama as an officer and worked on hooliganism for more than 40 years. It was De Smet who was involved in the introduction of stewards and cameras in our football. Now that he has just retired and hooligans are more topical than ever, the Superflick sounded the alarm again. “The ex-manager of Anderlecht, Michel Verschueren, was once in the spy head of the Purple & White. That works much better than all those rules.”